


Love Me

by Pansexualcapn



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M, Holoforms, Light Angst, Post-Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Slow Romance, death mention, headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29577927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pansexualcapn/pseuds/Pansexualcapn
Summary: A cute one-shot I thought up with my OC Mercy and Optimus. A few months after the fight against Quintessa, everyone seems to start settling into their new lives. Mercy takes a trip out to help a friend and scares the hell out of a former enemy while also confessing feelings that have been ignored for so long.
Relationships: Optimus Prime/OC, Optimus Prime/Original Character(s), Optimus Prime/Original Female Character(s), Optimus/OC
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Love Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in like years, so we'll see how this goes. I am getting use to posting here, so if I miss any tags, PLEASE, let me know and I can fix it. Also I read this a couple times over so hopefully I got all the spelling errors but no promises. I busted this out in like six hours listening to Love Me by Magnolia Park on repeat.

The air surrounding the interior of the store was… bitter. It smelled like something was burned. Mercy was assured that was how coffee was supposed to smell, but the taste in the air made her physically ill. Optimus claims to enjoy the burnt aroma.

The store was quaint, separated into two areas. The majority of the space was a bookstore with a couple reading areas to sample any literature they offer. Then there was a smaller cafe with a hip level divider that had a tile floor rather than carpet like the rest of the store. This small cafe was creating the burnt coffee smell that permeated the air.

In the little eating area there were a number of people taking up the small quantity of tables. Most of them young, college students Mercy was told. They come here to do work for their classes in this peaceful atmosphere. It was almost a little too quiet for Mercy.

"Are you OK?" The voice of the teenage girl sitting in front of Mercy, snaps her out of her observations. "Yeah, I'm just… taking it all in." Mercy answers, shifting in her seat. She hated using her holoform but she promised to help Izabella by taking her out to get books for her own classes.

The holoform Mercy used stood at about five and a half feet tall, her hair was a dirty blonde color that fell to the middle of her back. She was fair skinned with a oval-shaped face and slightly full lips and when she smiled, it caused her eyes to narrow a bit. Her eyes were the same ruby-red color as her optics in her true Cybertronian form, which caused the surrounding humans to do a double take when looking at her. Her outfit was casual, with light colored skinny jeans and a black tank top covered with a plum colored leather jacket that she kept unzipped. She wore a type of shoe called Vans, at least that is what Cade said they were.

"Are you… scouting out the bookstore?" Izabella asks, before taking a sip from her cup of hot cocoa. Mercy was instructed not to give the teenager coffee, something about caffeine making her too hyper. Mercy smirks, toying with a small coffee cup of her own, not that she could drink it in this form, but she had to keep up appearances, "Apologies. Old habits."  
Izabella shook her head, "It's fine. I do the same thing sometimes." The corner of Mercy's mouth twitched. Izzy was a child who was fighting for her life on her own in the ruins of Chicago before she joined the Autobots and the thought didn't sit right with Mercy.

Now she was able to go to a decent school and have a somewhat normal life. Well, as normal as it could be for a kid who was friends with a giant robotic, alien race. Officially, Cade was Izabella's guardian. Again, due to the whole alien thing, humans might not like the fact that she was being taken care of not only a Cybertronian, but a Cybertronian who was a Decepticon up until about only seven years ago.

That being said, Mercy was the one who was more like her actual parent. Not that Cade didn't help, but he was trying to get his life back together after being a fugitive for years. Mercy helped Izabella with school and took her where she needed to go. The two were practically inseparable, to the shock of many of the Autobots. Mercy was not known for being caring, especially to humans. She had been on this planet for a little over a decade, and half that time she was fighting to kill the humans and even when she did join the Autobots she kept a rather indifferent attitude towards them.

"Hey, this syllabus thing, it has what you need from this place, yes?" Mercy snapped herself out of her own thoughts this time, she didn't want to worry the kid. Izabella nodded, reaching into her book bag to get out said sheet of paper, "There are like two specific books I have to get and then I need another two books for 'free reading'." "Free reading?" "Basically two books of my choice to read in my free time for class." Izabella took another sip of her drink.

Mercy looked confused, "But you have to read it? Therefore… is it really 'free time'?" Izabella just shrugged. Mercy raised an eyebrow, the human education system is weird. "Eventually the rest of our party shall arrive and then we will get these books for you." Mercy said, leaning back in her chair. The small action made her grunt, putting a hand to the middle of her chest.

"Does it still hurt?" Izabella asked, watching Mercy carefully. She smiled softly to not worry the kid, "It is a phantom pain in this form, but I will be fine. Just… don't tell Optimus." The mech already felt bad enough for what he did to her. Granted he was brainwashed and forced to fight her and Bumblebee. The guilt that bot carried for running her through with his sword was spark-breaking and Mercy tried to not to have anyone bring it up anywhere near Optimus. "I can take a look at it when we are done." Izabella offers, quite adept at patching up the Autobots already. "It's fine, honest…"

"Izzy!" The sudden outburst ended their current conversation and the pair looked up to the entrance. Three people stood there, one of which a blonde haired teen about the same age as Izabella frantically waving at her friend. "Annie!" Izabella ran up to her classmate and gave her a hug. Mercy sighed and walked up to the other two figures, one of them being Lennox, who was busy dealing with two excited teenage girls, and the other being Optimus' own holoform.

Optimus' holoform stood almost a foot taller than Mercy's, actually the same height as Lennox. He wore dark fitted jeans, combat boots, and a plain black t-shirt with his own leather jacket over top of it. The jacket was blue with red flames on the sleeves, much like the design on the semi he picked as an alt form. He had an olive complexion and his hair was a little shaggy with grey on the sides and in the light it looked like his black hair might actually have a hint of blue. He had a trimmed beard that was mostly all grey with soft eyes that were a bright blue, also matching his own optics.

He looked down at Mercy, "Are you alright?" Mercy raised a brow, "I can handle a bookstore Prime. No matter how vile it smells." Optimus smiled, letting out a soft 'hmm' before turning to face Lennox, who finally had a break from the girls. "Where is Cade?" He asked, wondering who the woman was before him.

Optimus realized that Lennox never saw Mercy's holoform, "Cade is currently visiting his daughter at the University she attends and will be gone for another week or so." "So who is…" Lennox points at Mercy before catching a glimpse of her red eyes. Mercy grins, making the canines of her holoform slightly longer to match her own denta in her true form, "Hello, fleshling."

Lennox froze, Optimus groaned and Mercy had to fight the urge to laugh. "Izabella, are you OK?" Lennox asks the teen, genuinely concerned for this child's wellbeing. "Why wouldn't I be?" Izzy answers without hesitation. Mercy felt a sense of pride well up in her spark.

Optimus, ever the mediator, turned to the two teenagers, "You know what you are looking for correct?" The girls nodded. "Why don't you two start looking and we will catch up in a moment." The girls smile wide and walk quickly into the aisles of books, until they are out of sight.

Three… Two… One…

"If you hurt that child…!" Lennox starts in a hasty whisper, causing Mercy to straighten her back and puff up her chest, "I don't know who the fuck…!" she starts, keeping her voice down to not draw too much attention. "Enough!" The Prime whispers, harshly, stepping in between the two of them. "Cade is the legal guardian, yes, but Mercy has been watching over the child since she joined our group."

"You've seen what she has done, Optimus! Literally, the first time we met her she ripped out…" "I am aware of what I did." Mercy practically growled. "Then you should know that you're going to hurt that little girl." Lennox said, getting in Mercy's face, pushing Prime to the side, who let out an exasperated sigh. "The little girl is not the one about to be hurt here in a minute." Mercy retorts, not backing down.

"Enough!" Prime says, louder this time, causing bystanders to look over at the three of them. Lennox and Mercy notice the unwanted attention and back off from one another. "Lennox, I understand your concern but if I thought that Izabella were in any danger with Mercy, do you think I would just stand by and let it happen?" Lennox opened his mouth but fell silent, his friend had a very good point.

Optimus turned to face Lennox, his back to Mercy. "I understand your concern but Mercy is not the same bot she was over a decade ago. She has fought with us in Chicago, Hong Kong and recently against Quintessa. She has been a valiant protector of Earth and her people." Lennox let out a sharp breath, "Are you saying this as a Prime or are you saying this as her lover."

Optimus' eyes narrowed, that stung but was warranted. But if Lennox was going to go below the belt, Optimus could do one better, "At least she continued to fight with the Autobots, instead of against them." Lennox held his tongue.

Check. Mate.

Lennox deflated, Prime won this one, "Fine. Fine. But if she hurts…" "She won't, I promise you." Optimus assured him, "Go find the girls, I will talk to Mercy and we will catch up with you, alright?" Lennox let out a shaky breath, "Alright."

Lennox walked off in the direction the two girls had originally gone to try and find them. Optimus sighed, he knew Lennox was absolutely going to question Izabella about Mercy. He turned to face the femme in question and she was gone. He brought one of his hands up to cover his face, letting out another sigh. She never made this easy.

\---

If Mercy was good at anything, it was remaining hidden. Well that and making the Prime's life just a little bit harder. Optimus searched the bookstore as calmly as possible, if he was too fast she would hear him coming and just continue to hide from him.

While searching he ran into Lennox and the girls. "You lost the former Decepticon?" Optimus wanted to roll his eyes but decided against it, "She'll turn up. Just, don't say anything to anger her, I don't want any harm to come to you." "Why would Mercy hurt him?" Izabella asks the two older men.

Lennox goes to answer, but Optimus raises any eyebrow, giving him a look of 'Don't. Even.' "I have been informed she wouldn't." Lennox says sarcastically, causing the two girls to look at each other confused. Optimus sighs before searching the bookstore again. Lennox's attitude was warranted given the damage he has seen Mercy cause but right now he needed the human to trust him.

Optimus decided to try a new strategy, making her come to him. Granted, he also found a collection of all of Shakespeare's work and he wanted to at least skim through the pages. Before the Cybertronians presence was known to the world and eventually actively hunted by humans he would read through his plays in the little bits of free time he would get. He grabbed the thick, hard-bound book and found one of the many scattered and empty chairs around the store to look through it.

It was probably a good five minutes before a couple walked, hand-in-hand, into the aisle he happened to be seated by. They were going through the romance novels, and Optimus furrowed his brows together. Primus, he hoped they weren’t trying to get ideas. From what Lennox and the other soldiers at NEST had told him, romance novels were made for, and he's quoting here, ‘rather desperate and lonely people’.

The couple was reading the summaries quietly to one another and trying to stifle their laughter at the obscurity of them. Out of the few Optimus was able to pick up on, he started to question the ones who read these books in a serious manner. This was an… interesting idea for a date. But who was he to judge, especially since they were having fun and enjoying the others company.

However as the couple got closer and the smaller of the two rested their head on the others shoulder, Optimus felt his spark hum in his chest. Was he jealous? No… Then the smaller one looked up into the eyes of their date and the amount of love in their eyes for the other made him realize what exactly he was feeling.

He wanted Mercy to look at him like that. He wanted to tell Mercy everything he felt for her. He wanted her to stop hiding her feelings for him. He just wanted to hold that damn femme against his frame and not let go this time, or ever if he had a fucking say in the matter.

The couple put down the trashy novel and decided this particular activity was no longer fun. Optimus looked down at his collection of Shakespeare works and found it to no longer interest him. He set the book down and went to try and find Mercy again, fighting the new ache in his spark.

\---

He was sure he had walked past this aisle before... Well, he might as well try it again. As he turned the corner the holoform of Mercy was there, dirty blonde hair falling from her shoulders as she looked down, casually reading through a rather thick encyclopedia as if she hasn't been MIA for the last 20 minutes.

"You're a hard femme to find." He says, walking up behind her. She doesn't even lift her head, "When I want to be." Prime sighed, before looking down at the tome she had in her hands. The Encyclopedia of Spirits? The particular page she was on was about vampires.

Optimus read the description over her shoulder. Did Mercy believe in the spirits that were rumored to haunt this planet? "Do you believe in Vampires and other supernatural beings?" "Of course not!" Right, silly him. "Izabella says I look like a vampire with the red eyes and when I 'do the fang thing' so I was just looking up what they actually are."

Well that wasn't the answer he was expecting but the sentiment was sweet nonetheless. "Also mentioned something about dressing up for Halloween too." She says, eyes still locked on the book. Oh Primus, she really cared about the child. His spark hummed in his chest at the thought. Mercy really had come a long way and he had never been more proud of her.

"We should go find the others." Optimus says, even though he wants to be here with her, just a little bit longer. Mercy leans into him sudden, catching him by surprise, "Lennox can wait." What is she doing? She doesn't show affection like this, in public of all places. Optimus looks around, suddenly very much aware of his surroundings and possible onlookers.

In the cafe, Optimus catches a woman looking over, only to look away as Mercy leans her back completely against him. Oh, this was too good to be true, Mercy was jealous and claiming him in a subtle yet not-so-subtle way. Prime looks down at Mercy, a bit of humor apparent in his tone, "You're not one for public affection, you wouldn't be jealous would you?" "I have no idea what your talking about."  
Optimus contemplated his options, normally he was reserved as well, but this was too good to pass up. He envelopes her in his arms, bringing her back flush against his chest. He places his chin on the top of her head and chuckles softly, "I am fairly certain you do."

Mercy tried to keep her demeanor calm but he could hear her embarrassment in her voice, "What the fuck are you doing?" She says in a hushed whisper. He leans down to place a lingering kiss on her neck and he can feel Mercy's holoform swallow hard, "Just tell me the truth and I will release you." "You're no fun." That was absolutely not true and they both knew it. "She was… looking a little longer than I liked." Mercy admits, a blush evident on her cheeks.

Optimus smiled and, a mech of his word, released her, but she lingered there, still leaning against him. "You're affectionate today." He teases, debating if he wants to hold her again. "Hypocrite." Fair enough. Optimus, against his better judgment, wraps his arms around her again, resting his head in the crook of her neck and for a couple minutes they stay like that as Mercy keeps flipping through the Encyclopedia.

"Sometimes, I swear, you _just_ like this form better." Mercy says, softer then she would've liked. "No, I _just_ love you." Optimus says, without hesitation, "Personally, I would hold you for hours and not let go. I would let you know that I love you and _only_ you. But sometimes, I swear, you don't love me."

Optimus felt Mercy's back straighten up against his chest. Mercy was getting defensive and Optimus quickly realized that this was not the best place to have this conversation. Unfortunately, there might not be anything he can do at this point.

"You see, how _I_ remember it, was _you_ left me on this Primus forsaken planet." Optimus flinched, face still buried in her crook of her neck. That hurt, and although Mercy kept her tone low, she had a bite to her words. " _I_ had to watch over _your_ Autobots, fending off these damnable humans at every turn, you know, the ones you said to protect." Another blow and Mercy had no plans on stopping this onslaught. A part of Optimus was proud that Mercy was using her words more so than just out right fighting him, but damn if they didn't sting.

"And then, the next time I see you, you're not even you and you damn near _kill me_." She practically hissed at him, and Optimus held her tighter. That wasn't fair. Before he gets a chance to say anything Mercy continues, "But instead of fucking talking to me about _Any. Of. It_. You bury yourself in your work and play Ambassador between the humans and Cybertronians that are left."

"Mercy, I…" She cuts him off again, "What? You're sorry?" "...Would like a chance to talk." Optimus says in an assertive tone. Mercy closes her mouth with a huff. At this point, Mercy is no longer reading the book, but just glaring angrily at it, gritting her teeth. Optimus held her tight against his chest, keeping his face hidden in the crook of her neck.

The silence between them was deafening. Optimus worked through his words, he had one shot at this and he couldn't lose her again. "I apologize for leaving you here, but I do not regret it. If you came with me… Quintessa would have killed you with no hesitation. The thought…" he trails off, subconsciously tracing his fingers up and down her arm. Mercy uses one hand to hold the book and the other to run her fingers through his hair, causing Optimus to lean into the touch.

"I almost lost you when my mind wasn't my own," He brings the hand that was rubbing her arm to rest on the center of her chest where his sword pierced her chest, almost ending her life. Mercy instantly regretted bringing up anything having to do with Quintessa. Hell, she even warned Izabella not to do it and here she is being a hypocrite. "However, what kept me going was being able to see you again. To be able to hold you in my arms and never let go this time."

Mercy took the hand she had playing with Optimus' hair to his hand on her chest, interlocking their fingers and bringing his hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss on his knuckles and then releasing his hand. "We haven't necessarily been the best for each other in the past, but things have clearly changed between the two of us, but I know for a fact that I want to be with you, for good this time. I _love_ you, Mercy."

Mercy can feel her eyes get misty with her overwhelming emotions at his confession. Joy at his words, sorrow over how long it took them to get here and the same need to have him in her life. She feels him move his head from her neck, standing to his full height behind her. She closes the book in her hand and places it back on the shelf in front of her. She shifts her weight, trying to move out of his grasp and he lets her. She turns to face him, looking up and locking ruby red eyes with his cerulean ones, "You promise?"

He takes her hand in his own and mimics her earlier actions, lightly kissing the top of her knuckles, but he doesn't let go of her hand, "With my very being." She swallows hard, trying to stop her voice from shaking, "I am going to hold you to that." He smiles, kissing her wrist this time, "Of course, sweetspark."

They stay looking into one another's eyes, caught up in the moment, and wondering if the other might disappear because this was too good to be true. Mercy breaks the spell they have over each other first, clearing her throat and taking a step back, "We should really go find the others." Optimus nodded, trying to hide a small frown. Right, they were here for a reason.

He goes to release her hand but Mercy keeps ahold of his. She interlocks their fingers and pulls him close to walk by her side, "No, I kind of enjoy this little gesture." Optimus' spark hums in his chest and gives her hand a squeeze, "As you wish."

\---

"There you are! Is every...thing… o...kay?" Lennox's sentence trails off as he sees the two walk up hand in hand, both with a smile tugging at the corner of their lips. "We're fine, old friend." Optimus assures the human. It seems they found what they needed, paid and were now waiting to leave the store. "Sorry, we left you to do all the work." Optimus apologizes, running a hand nervously through his hair.

"It's fine. You just owe me next time." Lennox laughs it off before turning to Mercy, "And I apologize for how I acted earlier, if Optimus truly trusts you... I trust you." Mercy looks up at Optimus silently asking what to do next, not quite used to humans seeking her forgiveness. Optimus smirks and gives her a look telling her to play nice. Mercy sucks her teeth, looking back at Lennox, "It's… I… Thanks." Optimus hides a laugh, well, that would have to do.

The party walks out of the bookstore into a cool summer evening, the chill in the air signifying that autumn was just around the corner. Lennox waves goodbye to the two Cybertronians while Annabelle and Izabella hug each other goodbye, promising each other to see one another again at school.

Optimus had parked next to Mercy behind the store, trying to keep their alt forms hidden from the more populated parking lot. Well, that and Optimus had more room to park the semi that made up his alt mode. The three walked in silence, Optimus and Mercy still hand in hand.

"So does this mean you two are finally dating?" Izzy asks with absolutely no shame, breaking the silence. Optimus makes a surprised grunt as Mercy practically barks out, "What do you mean finally?" Izabella shrugs, still unbothered, "The other Autobots keep talking about you two. Cade even says you two look at each other with 'puppy dog eyes.'"

Mercy snaps her jaw shut, fuming with rage and Optimus groans. He was going to have to talk with his Autobots, if Mercy didn't kill them first. "Izabella, you want to wait for me in my alt mode for a moment? I need to talk to Optimus." Mercy says, her voice sickly sweet. "Sure." She says picking up her pace to the passenger side door which Mercy opens, letting the teen into her cabin before shutting the door.

Mercy turns to Optimus, "I'm killing them." "Please don't." "At least Cade then. What the hell even are puppy dog eyes?" "Mercy!" The femme rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest, "Fine! …Take the fun out of things…" Optimus looks down at Mercy, who was actually pouting. It was rather cute, he would have to see if he could make her pout in her true form.

"Hey," Optimus raises a brow as Mercy gets his attention, "On the subject of apologies, I… I shouldn't have brought up Quintessa and you being Nemesis. That was uncalled for and I'm sorry." Optimus was taken aback, Mercy never was one for apologies. As demonstrated in the bookstore, she needed an extra push to do the right thing.

Optimus leans down to kiss her forehead softly, "Thank you. But promise me one thing?" She looks up at him, "What?" "Please, don't ever do it again." The look of sadness and instant regret in her eyes shakes him to his core, she really was beating herself up about this. "I promise." Optimus smiles and places his lips on hers, both of their eyes fluttering shut.

There is a loud honk causing the two to break apart instantly. They turn to Mercy's alt form and Izabella is sticking her hand out the passengers window. "Did she just use my own horn against me?" Mercy sighs and Optimus chuckles, "You should probably get her home." Mercy hums in response, "We need to see each other soon, preferable not like this." Optimus nods, "Of course, I will let you know when I have time." "Mmm, more like you will make time." Mercy grins at him. "Of course sweetspark." He leans down and kisses her again, another shrill honk going through the air. "Impatient I swear…" Mercy moves quickly to her alt form, and to keep up appearances, opens the door to the driver's side and slides in.

Optimus smirks as Mercy rushes over to stop the child from honking at them. He walks over to his own alt mode, and as he opens the door and goes to climb in, he gives one last wave to Mercy and Izzy before his holoform dissipates as the door closes. The two watch him drive off before Mercy starts her engine. Izzy looks over at Mercy, "So you are dating?" Mercy smirks, her own holoform dissipating into static as she shifts gears and starts driving the two back home, her voice coming over the stereo, "Something like that."


End file.
